The Year of Tony Bennett

An Appreciation of the Art and Music of Tony Bennett

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Playlist of the Week: Tony Likes a Jimmy Van Heusen Song

The playlist for the week of October 6, 2019, is Tony Likes a Jimmy Van Heusen Song.

Jimmy Van Heusen was one of the great songwriters in mid-20th-century popular film music. He wrote many songs that are well-known and popular to this day. He is also the person who wrote the song that was my absolute favorite song when I was five years old: “Swinging on a Star.” I was told, as an adult, that I drove my parents crazy by constantly singing, loudly, phrases from this song. “Or would you rather be a pig?” Or a mule or a fish. Well, you get the idea.

Swinging on a Star. Lyrics by Johnny Burke. From The Playground.
Darn That Dream. Lyrics by Eddie DeLange. From Cloud 7.
The Second Time Around. Lyrics by Sammy Cahn. From The Movie Song Album.
Call Me Irresponsible. Lyrics by Sammy Cahn. From Perfectly Frank.
Here’s That Rainy Day. Lyrics by Johnny Burke. From Perfectly Frank.
Nancy. Lyrics by Phil Silvers. From Perfectly Frank.
But Beautiful. Lyrics by Johnny Burke. From The Tony Bennett/Bill Evans Album.
What Makes It Happen. Lyrics by Sammy Cahn. From Tony Makes It Happen!
All My Tomorrows. Lyrics by Johnny Burke. From Perfectly Frank.
I Thought About You. Lyrics by Johnny Mercer. From Perfectly Frank.
It Could Happen To You. Lyrics by Johnny Burke. From When Lights Are Low.
Oh! You Crazy Moon. Lyrics by Johnny Burke. From When Lights Are Low.

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Song of the Day: A Foggy Day

The song of the day for Monday, September 23, 2019, is “A Foggy Day.”

About Today

We’re continuing our celebration of George Gershwin, who was born in Brooklyn on September 26, 1898.

About This Song

“A Foggy Day” was written by George and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 movie A Damsel in Distress. The song has been quite popular with many great recordings, including those by Ella Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and Billie Holiday.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “A Foggy Day” in 1992 for the album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon wrote the arrangement.

“A Foggy Day,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

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Song of the Day: Last Night When We Were Young

The song of the day for Friday, September 6, 2019, is “Last Night When We Were Young.”

About This Song

“Last Night When We Were Young” was written in 1935 by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. Arlen considered “Last Night When We Were Young” to be one of his favorite songs. In American Popular Song, Alec Wilder calls it a “most remarkable and beautiful song … (that) goes far beyond the boundaries of popular music.” Yip Harburg has said that he doesn’t know exactly where the title came from but that “the juxtaposition of those two phrases is almost a whole world of philosophy.” All in all, it’s a very beautiful and introspective song that is much beloved by singers. Frank Sinatra included on his wonderful album In The Wee Small Hours. It has also been recorded by Judy Garland, Mel Tormé, Carmen McRae, and Tony Bennett.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded this version of “Last Night When We Were Young” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank, featuring an arrangement by Ralph Sharon. Bennett also recorded this song in 1959 for his album To My Wonderful One.

“Last Night When We Were Young,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

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Playlist of the Week: Tony Sings the Great Lyrics

The playlist of the week of August 25, 2019, is Tony Sings the Great Lyrics.

Tony Bennett seldom records a bad song and most of his recordings are of very good songs. This week, I’ve selected a handful of those very good songs that I think have exceptional lyrics.

Thou Swell from Tony Bennett Sings More Great Rodgers & Hart. Music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz (Larry) Hart.

I Concentrate on You from Steppin’ Out. Music and lyrics by Cole Porter.

The Lady is a Tramp from Tony Bennett Sings 10 Rogers & Hart Songs. Music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz (Larry) Hart.

Last Night When We Were Young from Perfectly Frank. Music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Yip Harburg.

The Way You Look Tonight from Rarities, Outtakes and Other Delights, Vol. 2. Music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Dorothy Field.

One For My Baby and One More For the Road from Perfectly Frank. Music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Johnny Mercer.

The Man That Got Away from Tony Sings For Two. Music by Harold Arlen, music by Ira Gershwin.

I Got Lost In Her Arms from The Art of Excellence. Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.

How Do You Keep The Music Playing from The Art of Excellence. Music by Michel Legrand, lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman.

The Party’s Over from Hometown, My Town. Music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Adolph Green and Betty Comden.

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Song of the Day: I Thought About You

The song of the day for Thursday, July 18, 2019, is “I Thought About You.”

About This Song

“I Thought About You” was written in 1939 by Jimmy McHugh and Johnny Mercer. In the biography Portrait of Johnny: The Life of John Herndon Mercer, author Gene Lees quotes Mercer about this song:

I can remember the afternoon that we wrote it. He [Van Heusen] played me the melody. I didn’t have any idea, but I had to go to Chicago that night. I think I was on the Benny Goodman program. And I got to thinking about it on the train. I was awake, I couldn’t sleep. The tune was running through my mind, and that’s when I wrote the song. On the train, really going to Chicago.

“I Thought About You” proved quite popular and has been recorded many times by jazz performers including Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Hartman, Shirley Horn, Dinah Washington, and Mel Tormé.

About This Version

Tony Bennett recorded “I Thought About You” in 1992 for his album Perfectly Frank. Ralph Sharon did the arrangement.

I Thought About You

I Thought About You, a song by Tony Bennett on Spotify

“I Thought About You,” as well as Perfectly Frank, is available from iTunes.

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